Laundry fined £325,000 following fatality

HSE Press Release: E095:04m - 8 July 2004

Sunlight Services Group Limited (Sunlight) of Basingstoke was yesterday fined £325,000 by Bournemouth Crown Court. The case followed an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the death of Mr Paul Clegg on 21 March 2003 at Sunlight premises at Castle Lane, Winton, Bournemouth.

Mr Clegg, a laundry operative, crawled into the internal workings of a large industrial washing machine to attempt to clear a blockage. He became trapped inside one of the machine's compartments; the fire brigade was called to site to cut a hole into the machine to free him. Despite their efforts Mr Clegg was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. He died from heat exhaustion caused by the conditions inside the machine.

Sunlight had pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in that it failed to ensure the safety at work of one of its employees, specifically that the company did not provide a safe system of work for Mr Clegg. Guidance on how to safely clear blockages was available to the company from both the manufacturer of the washing machine and the Textile Services Association.

HSE inspector Jonathan Halewood, who led the investigation, said:

"Paul Clegg died a terrible death, a death that was entirely preventable had this company followed clear instructions that were available to it. I think that the level of fine in this case is appropriate to the size of the company and sends a clear message that poor health and safety performances will be punished by the courts."

Sunlight, of 4 Grosvenor Place, London was fined £325,000 and ordered to pay costs to HSE of £16,665.

Notes to editors

1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare at work of all his employees."

2. The maximum penalty for a single offence under Section 2(1) in a Crown Court is an unlimited fine.

3. The Textile Services Association is the trade association for the laundry, cleaning and textile rental industry; its website is: http://www.tsa-uk.org

4. Sunlight Services Group Ltd has been prosecuted by HSE on four previous occasions since 1996, most recently in May 2004 they were fined £34,000 at East Derbyshire Magistrates Court after a worker suffered crushing and burns to their hand after it was drawn into a conveyor. In April 2003 when they were fined £18,000 at Bournemouth Magistrates Court after a worker's arm was drawn into a conveyor belt.

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